Urban Reviews is the premier destination for all things relating to African-American Fiction. It's primary focus will be on the promotion of new and upcoming books by Black authors, but Urban Reviews will also include exclusive interviews, online Q&As, tour info, press release info, and industry news as well.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Sergeant Kayla Perry does not have time for a relationship. Her ultimate goal is to go to nursing school. That is the main reason she joined the army. She does have a thing for her staff sergeant, but she knows that she can't do anything about it because of army rules. Nevertheless, she is content on getting into the green-to-gold program so she can attend nursing school. That is until she meets Sergeant Paul Lake. He isn't looking for a relationship either since he is waiting to hear if he has been accepted into the Special Forces Unit. But sometimes the heart doesn't listen to what the mind is trying to convince it of.

Specialist Marissa Poe is a mess. She thought she was getting out of the army to start college at Penn State. She also thought she was in love with a fellow solider, and he would join her when he got out and they would live happily ever after. Unfortunately, neither of those things happened. Marissa was devastated when she was told that her getting out of the army was put on hold. Her and Randall had been on and off their whole relationship, so them being off when she told him she was staying was not as much as a surprise, but the guy she fell for after him certainly was.

Liz Shupe was married to an enlisted soldier and was best friends with Kayla. Marissa was too, but she did not get along with Liz did not get along for some reason. Just when everything was going good in her life, like her finding out she was pregnant again after her miscarriage, she finds out that her husband is being deployed to Iraq. She is trying to be strong so Timothy won't worry about her, but she is scared to death.

Lace and Honor is a good read by Sammie Ward. There were actually three different stories going on simultaneously. Ward does a great job of connecting them and keeping the story flowing. The plot was one that many people can relate to, and Ward did an excellent job of portraying the emotions that go along with a loved one being deployed. The character development for the primary and secondary characters were also well done and made the characters relatable. Good read!

1. Tell our readers about Everything You Owe Me.
A. Well, Everything You Owe Me is about two cousins, Tosha and Dannay, whose lives and marriages couldn't be more different - at least that's how things appear on the surface. Tosha struggles to hold on to her crumbling marriage despite signs that her husband is cheating. Dannay's marriage is the picture of perfection, and she is the only person Tosha can turn to. Who will Dannay have to turn to when the perfect image of her marriage shatters?

2. How did the idea for this book come about?

A. The idea for this book came about by my observance of the lengths that people will go to in the name of love, especially when there is a marital committment involved. Some people are willing to let go, while other's are determined to hold on by any means necessary.

3. What was it that pushed you to want to become a writer?

A. As a child with a love of books and reading, it had always been my dream to become a writer.

4. What has been the biggest challenge for you in regards to the book business?

A. The harderst challenge for me in regards to the book business has been carving out a name for myself and reaching a larger reading market.

5. What are your ultimate goals as far as the book industry?

A. My goals as far as the book industry is to keep producing stories that resonate with readers, to continue to hone my skills as a writer, and hopefully one day have writing be my fulltime career.

6. What things did you do to help prepare yourself for your literary journey?
A. Some of the things I did to help prepare myself for my literary journey was to read a lot of the type of stories that I enjoy writing, to research and study the literary market, and I tried my hand in the self-publishing arena to gain valuable experience on what it takes to promote and sell my work.

7. Do you have any ideas or plans for an upcoming project?
A. I've been tossing around some ideas for my next book. I just haven't decided on a title yet, but it's in the works as we speak.

8. Do you have any favorite authors or books?
A. Some of my favorite authors are Eric Jerome Dickey, Gloria Mallette, Kimberla Lawson Roby, J.D. Mason, Miasha, Sapphire, Dwayne S. Joseph, Brian W. Smith, and a whole list of other authors that I admire.

9. What advice do you have for others thinking of getting into the book business?
A. The advice I would give to others thinking of getting into the book business is to come armed with a lot of faith, endurance, patience, and belief in yourself. You have to be ready to take the positive and the negative as an essential step to bettering yourself as a writer.

10. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your novel?
A. Be on the look out for my second novel on the Hollygrove label titled Greedy, and if you want to order a copy of Everything You Owe Me, you can go to the Hollygrove publishing website, Amazon.com, Tower.com, Barnes and Noble, Borders, or wherever books are sold.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Brian Johnson is an author who has beautiful kids and a wife. He’s moved on to a much better life, but his ex-wife Janae won’t let him rest. Janae feels that Brian has cheated her out of the good life that she deserves. She will stop at nothing to get him back. Brian’s friend Mac has all the women that he can handle, and marriage is the last thing on his mind. But when Mac gets involved in a love triangle, he may be in over his head. Malik is currently in prison, but Mac and Brian have stuck by him, even when his family didn’t. Mailk promised himself that he would lead a better life once he's released. But Mailk has to face some shocking secrets of his own before he can move on with his life.

No Rest for the Weary is an entertaining debut novel filled with a mix of storylines and characters. Jonathan Gaines brought an interesting tale about three male friends. You see the mutual respect that these men have for each other and how they have each other’s back. This book had the makings of an excellent story, but there were a few missteps along the way. You never really see how Brian became this famous urban fiction writer...he just was. It would have been better if the reader got to see at least some of the secrets to his success. It appears that Brian was supposed to be the main character of the book, but his story was the weakest. Janae's obsession with Brian brought nothing to this story and proved to be pointless. Mac and Malik’s stories were so much more interesting and entertaining. Brian and Janae’s stories could have been completely cut out of this book, and it would not have been missed. What also would've made this novel better was if Gaines did more showing than telling. There were also some editing issues in the area of story development. No Rest for the Weary is still a decent debut novel by Jonathan Gaines.

Rain and Jaden are college sweethearts that had a good marriage in the beginning, but everything went downhill somewhere in the process. Jaden has become so abusive to Rain that she’s been cut off from all of her family and friends. To make matter worse, Jaden has started a steamy affair with his co-worker. Things soon spiral out of control when Rain decides that she’s had enough of Jaden’s abuse...but will she get the sweet revenge that she’s seeking?

Fed Up is an entertaining debut novel by Ceree Hall. This story shows the damaging effects of an abusive marriage. It also shows how things can get way out of hand when a person seeks out revenge. You see how Rain and Jaden’s marriage goes from bliss to a total nightmare. Fed Up is a good novel but the lack of proper editing proved to be extremely distracting. Fed Up is still a good debut novel, and I look forward to more from Ceree Hall.

Rodney "Neon" Robinson has always been a natural born leader. But he is introduced to a whole new life when his single mother moves him and his six siblings from Texas to California. Despite his mother’s best efforts, Neon fell victim to the streets and spends more time in the Los Angeles criminal system than at home. Unfortunately, Neon finds a new family in the form of the infamous street gang known as the Bloods. Neon’s affiliation with his new street family will spell nothing but disaster for the rest of his real family at home.

Johnny Russell brought a thought-provoking tale with First Blood. Russell shows how disastrous it can be when the dynamic of the African-American family unit is disrupted. Although Neon’s mother tried to do her best to keep him and his brothers off the streets, she clearly needed Neon’s father to step up to the plate. Russell also did a good job of showing the formation of the Bloods and the Crips. This book really illustrates how street gangs are still a deadly problem in our society. First Blood is a good debut novel full of life lessons.

What would you do if you found out your husband cheated on you? Would you divorce him? Would you be able to forgive and forget, or would you get even? When Dr. Teresa McCall finds out that her husband committed adultery, she has a hard time trying to move forward. Her husband Donovan wants desperately to put the affair behind him and is determined to try to save their marriage, but Teresa, a.k.a. Teri, can not seem to get past the hurt and betrayal. Teri does not trust Donovan, and in the back of her mind, she questions if Donovan really has left the other woman alone.

Sean Morris is a cardiologist at one of the top hospitals in Atlanta. When he meets Teri at a party, he is captivated by her beauty. He shows obvious interest beyond friendship for Teri. Since she is hurt and confused by the betrayal that Donovan bestowed upon her, she decides to try to mask the pain by entering into an affair of her own with Sean. Little does Teri know, Sean has a deep secret that will ultimately be her downfall. Will Teri be able to put the past behind her and make her marriage work with her husband? Or will she start a new life with Sean?

The Lies That Bind by D. L. Sparks is a story of love, sex, lies and betrayal. Just when you think you know where this story is headed, the story takes a twist, leaving the reader shocked. The Lies That Bind is certainly a page-turner. I look forward to reading more from D. L. Sparks.

TriSexual consisted of sexy short stories. Whatever your fantasy is, you'll have to TRIPLE that in TriSexual. Here are two of the stores:

Dick Dyke
In life, you have to learn the hard way sometimes. No matter what you may have heard or what family member may say or voice about their opinions, seeing is definitely believing. When the evidence is right in your face, there is no way to deny it.

Nore was ruthless and took no prisoners. Drugs, carjacking, gambling, you name it...Nore had her hand in it. Nore hung around men all day and never had any interest in them. She had a girl, Kay, who was the epitome of a woman. Kay was an up-and-coming designer. Their relationship seemed perfect, until Nore begins a dangerous affair that could lead to severe consequences.

Dick Dyke shows when betrayal goes from bad to worse. Karma is real, and when you betray the one you love, it can lead to the ultimate consequences. Nore learns a tough lesson when she tries to play both sides of the fence. Will Kay be able to forgive the ultimate transgression, or will she find comfort in the arms of someone else?

Diva Bitch
Quisha, or Queen as she is called, expects nothing but the best. Vehicles, jewelry, clothes, purses, boots, and whatever luxury items she can get her hands on. Quisha is the epitome of a gold digger and has basically any and everything at her disposal. Quisha is far from ordinary. Quisha has a secret: she has been hiding for years. She always has to be two steps ahead of the game for fear of secret being revealed.

Circumstances changed when Quisha comes across Mike. Mike has everything that Quisha wants, but she must be strategic in every move she makes. Quisha pushes the envelope on several occasions and finds herself in a life-threatening situation. Her constant playing with a man’s emotions and not being truthful about her situation cannot lead to a good result. Quisha has decisions she has to make if she wants to see a future with Mike. But with time running ticking away, will those decisions be made for her? Will Quisha finally meet her match? Will her secret finally be revealed, leading to deadly life-altering consequences?

TriSexual by Girly Girl covers every subject, whether it’s taboo or risqué. Drug dealers, thugs, strippers--whatever your forte is--it will be covered in this book. Please be sure to leave your inhibitions at the door because TriSexual definitely left nothing to the imagination. For the stories to be short, each story was thoroughly explained and the author gave a lot of detail. Girly G never allowed for a dull moment while reading this TriSexual.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Karen C. Brown - If The Tree Could Talk - Available Now! - 3.5 out of 5 books -

On summer days and summer nights, you can find families, friends and loved ones sitting comfortably under a tree sharing stories, secrets and kisses. For the Greenson family, they have a tree in their front yard that the author compares to the biblical tree of life and knowledge. Some life-changing conversations and events were shared under the “family tree.”

The protagonist and sometimes narrator of If The Tree Could Talk is Callie Greenson, a.k.a. Sweetie Pie. She’s sassy and filled with wisdom that surpasses her twelve years. One day, as Sweetie Pie struggles to get out of bed to start her day, she gets a feeling that something is going to happen that will spin her life out of control. While sitting under their tree, she hears her mom and dad doing what she calls "code talking." It’s not long before Callie, her family and her friends find themselves caught in a spider web of deception, manipulation and betrayal.

I enjoyed getting to know Callie and the host of adults who were touched by one woman’s desperation and lies. Ms. Brown did a wonderful job with the background story and secondary characters after the lie was known. I felt their pain and anguish over what Ms. Dasie revealed to her friends.

The first thing that attracted me to a book (if not a recommendation) is the cover. The cover and the title of this book brought the focus of the “tree” to the forefront; but as I continued to read the book, I kept waiting for the theme of the tree to have more of a presence in the story. Even the cover portrays a huge tree taking over, but that was not the case inside the jackets. I believe the lie should’ve been revealed under the tree along with the rekindled love story we witnessed from several places in and out of town.

My favorite quote is nestled on page 92 when the lie is revealed and the characters hear it for the first time and are shocked. One of them responds in this way: “You have done the unthinkable, and I want you to know that you have ripped your drawers and there is not a needle in the world that can fix them” (too funny) If The Tree Could Talk was a pretty good read and a very promising start for this new author.

Nathalyia Fontaine only has time for Fontaine, the restaurant left to her by her late husband. So when sexy hostage negotiator Rafael Dunlap sets his eye on her, Rafael doesn't stand a chance. He also doesn't give up very easily. Rafael wears Nathalyia down until he wins her over. Their relationship was going great until something and someone from Nathalyia's past threatens to ruin it all. Nathalyia feels walking away is the only possible solution. That is until Rafael is injured in the line of duty. Nathalyia and Rafael both have to figure out if the love they share is worth fighting for.

If You Were My Man is a wonderful read. Francis Ray is a fantastic author. She has a writing style that is very natural and just flows without having lagging moments. Her characters and plots are always well developed. Ray has a way of making everything come to life. This time is no different!